The Technological Frontier
Hedi Nasheri · 2024
Chapter 5 provides a summary overview of the latest emerging technologies, the benefits and challenges of adapting new technologies, and ethical issues surrounding their use, including the impact of biases in the technologies. The chapter analyzes emerging issues and their consequences and provides awareness about the latest trends and limitations. The chapter discusses the Big Tech’s agenda of develop first, question later. Topics such as disruption, fragmentation, polarization, disclosure, and transparency are major themes in the chapter. Issues related to humans and machines, what it means to be human, freedom of choice, and the decline of analytical skills are discussed in the context of emerging tools and technologies. Mixing reality and fiction, new tools like virtual, augmented, and mixed reality are further explained as well as a discussion on the metaverse and the risks associated with the fictional world. The chapter further explains the mega trends and drastic changes in the daily lives of people and the convergence of humans and machines. The chapter concludes with recommendations for a path forward despite the uncertainties and highlights trust as a core issue for acceptance of these technologies.